Pottery-molding machine



No. 6l6.378. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

F. H. & C. D. WEEKS. POTTERY HOLDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 9, 1898.,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

dwzuauw. $4.

No. 6I6,378. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

F. H. &. C. D. WEEKS.

POTTERY HOLDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 9, 1898.) N o M o d 01.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N0. 6l6,378. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

F. H. &. C. D. WEEKS.

POTTERY MOLDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 9, 1898.)

lNo Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Patented Dec. 20, I898.

No. 6l6,378.

F. H. G. C. 0. WEEKS.

POTTERY HOLDING MAUI-"NE.

(Application filed June 9, 1898.)

4 Sh eets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

um/W444 M14, O/MJAMW,$M

UNi'rED STATES PATENT OEricE.

FREDERICK H. XVEEKS AND CHARLES D. XVEEKS, OF AKRON, OHIO.

POTTERY-MOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,378, dated December20, 1898.

Application filed (Tune 9,1898. Serial No. 683,027. (N0 I fi To all whomit may concern: 1

3e it known that We, FREDERICK H. WEEKs and CHARLES D. WEEKS, of Akron,in the county of Summit, and in the State of Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Pottery-Molding Machines; and we dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the ma chine; Fig.2,avertical section thereof; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on line so soof Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail view, in vertical section, on an enlargedscale, through the jolly, showing in full and dotted lines differentpositions of the shaping or forming roll. Fig. 5 is a detail view incross-section, showing the means for mounting the edge-forming wheel andfor adjusting the plate which supports the vesselforming roll; Fig. 6, alike view showing the means for supporting the knife or trimmingtool.Fig. 7 isa horizontal section through the arm that supports the variousforming devices. Fig. 8 is a detail view in perspective of the platewhich supports the vesselforming roll. Fig. 9 is a detail view inperspective of the sleeve and arms for supporting the forming devicesand holding the same in operating position, and Fig. 10 is a detail viewof the means for adjustably supporting the vessel-forming roll.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The object of our invention is to provide certain improvements inpottery-molding machines, whereby they may be enabled to do moreefficient, better, and cheaper work; and to these ends said inventionconsists in the machine and the parts thereof having the constructionsubstantially as hereinafter specified.

In the carrying of the invention into practice there is employed a frameA, having horizontal arms a and a, which journal avertical shaft 13,upon the upper end of which is mounted a mold or form preferably ofiron. Upon the shaft B are fast and loose pulleys b and b.

The mold or form shown being designed for the making of acylindrical-shaped vessel has the form of a hollow cylinder C, with aflat bottom D, that is fastened at its center to the shaft B, a hub orsleeve (1 on the under side of the bottom shrunk on the shaft, makingthe connection a rigid one. The cylinder 0 and bottom D are detachablyconnected together by bolts or screws E and E, which pass through saidbottom into an annular flange c at the lower edge of the cylinder. Thebottom is rabbeted to form an annular shoulder 61', that is engaged by asimilar shoulder c on the flange c, the object of such constructionbeing to enable the ready centering of the cylinder on the bottom D. Bymaking the cylinder and bottom detachable forms of varying size andinterior shape can be used by simply substituting a cylinder of one sizeor shape for one of a difierent size or shape.

For the manufacture of vessels having ears or handles the interior ofthe mold or form is provided at diametrically opposite points with twoopenings extending from the top downward, into each of which is placed aremovable block 0 in whose bottom edge is formed a cavity 0 which, witha portion of the surface of the bottom of the opening, forms the moldfor a handle or ear. The blocks may be made removable in any desiredway; but preferably each is hinged at one side so as to swing outwardfrom the mold, leaving a clear space for the ear or handle to passthrough. Each block has a sliding spring latch or bolt 0 for fasteningitin position. The provision of the mold with these removable blocksenables the formation of vessels with ears or other projections andavoids the necessity of the separate formation of the ears and theirattachment to the vessel, as has been the practice.

The clay or material to be operated on does not rest upon and receiveits exterior shape from the bottom D, but rests upon and takes itsexternal shape from a plate or table F within the mold or form, restingloosely upon a cap or disk g on the upper end of alongitudinally-movable rod G, that passes through an axial opening inthe shaft B and has its lower end carried to a point below the floor orother resting-place of the machine. The rod is made capable of beingraised and lowered to enable the plate or table F to be raised for theremoval of the finished vessel from the form and to receive the materialfor making a vessel and to be lowered in position for a shapingoperation. Any suitable means may be employed for giving the rod thesemovements; but that shown is simple and efficient, consisting of a blockH, on the top of which the rod rests, which is slidably mounted on avertical guide-bar I and has a wheel h on one side, over which passes acord or rope J, one end of which is fastened to some fixed point and theother to a Windlass K. By means of the latter the rod may be raised,carrying the table F, while gravity will cause its descent when it isfree to descend.

For causing the clay to take the form desired there is employed aformer, consisting of a roll L, of wood or other material, that isattached at its upper end to a radial arm M upon the lower end of ashaft N, the axis of the roller being so inclined relative to the axisof said shaft and to a plane radial to said shaft, passing through therolleraxis at the upper end of the roller, that its operative positionrelative to the mold or form is at the beginning of -a formingoperation, with its lower end at, or substantially at, the centerthereof and inclining upward and outward toward the side thereof andalso rearward with reference to the direction of revolution of saidform; or the position of the roll may be described as such that itsupper and lower ends are respectively intersected by two planes radialto the axis of the shaft N and not by one plane passing diametricallythrough the latter and with the lower end in advance of the upper end asthe roll is revolved by the shaft N. The surface of the roll is convexlycurved longitudinally. On the upper end of the shaft N is a hand-wheeln, by which it may be revolved. The roll is journaled on a shaft 0, towhich it is secured by means of a cap-plate P, fastened to its lower endby a screw, which plate engages a shoulder on the interior of the roll,and by the cap Z, having a shank screwed or otherwise secured in anopening in the lower end of the roll.

The shaft N is located eccentric to, but in an area that iscircumscribed by, the walls of the mold, so that the curved pathtraveled by the roll is a circle wholly within the mold and of adiameter that reaches from the central part thereof to the wall save fora distance equal to the thickness of the wall of the pottery article.Said shaft is journaled in a bearing Q on a plate R, that is attached toa horizontal arm S, that projects radially from the upper end of asleeve 8, mounted on a round column or standard T, so as to be capableof being moved vertically and swung horizontally. The column or standardis secured at its lowerend to the top of the frame A by being placed ina vertical opening therein and clamped by a bolt a, the frame being slitvertically to enable it to be gripped upon the standard.

On the rear side of the plate R, at the center of the bearing Q, is astud 1', that projects into a horizontal slots in the arm S, and alsopassing through the plate and through said slot are two bolts U and V,the former being nearer the stud 0 than the latter. The bolt V has aneccentric part c, that engages the opening in the plate B, and hence, byrotating the bolt, the plate can be swung on the stud rasacenter tochange the angle at which the shaft stands and vary the relation of theroll to the mold. The end of the bolt V is squared to permit theapplication of a wrench to rotate it. The diameter of the bolt U is, asindicated in Fig. 2, sufliciently less than the width of the slot 5 toallow the described movement of the plate R. A reference to said Fig. 2will make it plain how the angle of the shaft N can be changed byrocking the plate R, as described. A bolt W, tapped through the outerend of the arm S and abutting against the stud r, provides means for theclose adjustment of the roll toward the side of the mold.

For compacting and giving a smooth surface to the upper edge of thevessel a wheel or roller X.having its peripherygiven the desiredconfiguration, is journaled at the lower end of a vertical rod :0, whichis secured at its upper end by a set-screw :0 within a vertical opening'in a bracket Y, that is pivoted to the arm S, so that it may be swunghorizontally. The bracket Yis bifurcated and one member rests upon andis pivoted to an upper horizontal flange on the arm S, and the othermember rests upon and is pivoted to a lower horizontal flange on saidarm. One of said pivots is a screw or bolt g, which serves to clamp orhold the bracket in position. It will be seen that the roller can beadjusted vertically and horizontally to adapt it for vessels of varyingheight and diameter. To supplement the action of the roller, a knifeZ isprovided, hat is placed so as to remove any clay which may be squeezedover the top edge of the cylinder C between it and the lowermost pointreached by the roller. The knife is supported on the lower end of avertical bar A,

that is attached to a clamp 15, which is secured to the bar S by beingpassed through the slot 8' and having lugs to engage the bar on one sideand by the engagement of the bar A with the other side of the bar S. Thebar A' and the clamp are held in place by the set-screw O, which pressesthe bar A against the side of the arm S. The position of the rzo knifecan be varied by adjusting the bar A vertically.

The purpose of making the arm S vertically and horizontally movable isthe usual oneto permit the taking of the forming-tool and its supportout of the way to give access to the mold or form, and the arm andattached parts are suitably counterbalanced, so that they can be readilyraised and lowered. The

arm when in itslowered position, with the roll L in proper positionrelative to the mold, is securely held from swinging horizontally bymeans of a radial arm .9 at the lower end of the sleeve 5, placed,preferably, at an angle of forty-five degrees from the arm S, that atits outer end engages a vertical bar D, that is attached at its lowerend to the outer end of a radial arm E, extending from a split sleeve 6,which is clamped to the column T. A horizontal offset or shoulder (1near the bottom of the bar D, under which the arm 3 is moved, preventsany accidental upward movement of the latter and the parts connectedtherewith. Parallel with the bar D is a second vertical bar F, whichextends to a higher point than the other and higher than it is necessaryto lift the arm 3 to remove the roll from the mold. In returning theroll to the mold it is swung until the arm 5 strikes the portion of thebar F above the bar D, and then the parts are moved downward, the arm 5passing down between the two bars until its lower side strikes thebase-piece, to which both bars are attached, and the lower end of thesleeve 5 strikes the top of the sleeve 2.

For producing an ornamented or figured surface on the exterior of thevessel being made the mold or form is lined with lace, embossed rubber,lincrusta, or other figured material, as shown at G, Fig. at, themarkings of which are faithfully reproduced in the clay. For-producingcolored effects colors can be applied by a roller or otherwise to therelief surfaces of the lining, which will be imparted to thecorresponding depressed surfaces formed in the vessel. Of course,instead of using an embossed or figured lining, a mold can be used,having its surface figured or cut into a desired design.

'When it is desired to work without a lining for the mold, whether plainor embossed, this can be done and the clay, be prevented from adheringto the mold by heating the latter either all of the time the machine isin use or only when the vessel is to be removed. Gas, steam, or otherheating medium maybe employed. For illustration there is shown in Fig. 2a steam-jacket H, inclosing the cylinder 0, provided with pipes 72 and hfor the inlet and outlet of steam.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The arm S being raised andturned to one side, to remove the roll L from the mold or form the rod Gis raised to position to receive the mass or hat of clay to be worked,which is placed at the center of the table F. The rod, with the table,is then lowered, and the roll. L, by the swinging and lowering of thearm S,-is placed in the mold with its lower end in the hat of clay. Themold being revolved by power applied to the .shaft B in the directionindicated by the arrow, Fig. 3, and the roll-carrying shaft N beingrevolved in the same direction by the hand-wheel n, the clay, by reasonof the peculiar arrangement of the roll, is gradually forced outward,first forming the bottom of the vessel, and then pressed against theside wall of the mold,

"idlyah'dw ell done.

gradually producing the wall of the vessel, working from the bottomupward. By its revolution with the shaft N the surface of the roll atpoints successively farther and farther along travels parallel with thebottom and the side of the mold. Owing to the angle at which the rollstands but a small part of the clay at a time is being pressed with thefinishing or final pressure against the mold, and. hence the full poweris exerted to the best possible advantage. The tendency of the roll fromthe friction of the interposed mass of clay is, by the revolution of themold, to move outward toward the wall of the latter, revolving on theshaft N, and this tendency is of material aid in the operation of themachine; and but for the fact that the work can be done faster byrevolving the roll by the hand-Wheel n no such manipulation need beprovided for, because once started the roll would complete its workwithout intervention. 'th this m a c hine m y la s.grou d @nlyalfaasliine as arti le y-ascend.slaysnan be P r t y an duniformly Workedand the work be rap,- The vessel being finished, the revolution of themold is stopped, the roll lifted and turned out of the way, and the rodG raised to lift the table F to the top of the mold to permit the vesselby means of said table to be removed from the machine.

Besides being adapted for forming diderent-sized vessels by changing thecylinder 0 the same cylinder can be used for vessels of less diameter byplacing slats or staves within it of the required thickness, two stavesat diametrically opposite points being cut in two and formed to makeears, such provision being similar to that for the same purpose beforedescribed. Vessels of difierent height can be made by placing blocksbeneath the cap or disk 9 and by correspondingly raising the sleeve 6 onthe column T, which limits the descent of the sleeve S and the roll L.By adjusting the plate R to place the shaft N at an angle to the axis ofthe mold the formation of the bottom of the vessel can be varied, sothat its upper or inner surface will incline in greater or less degreefrom its center, either upward or downward, toward the side. Of course,by changing the form of the mold and the shape of the roll the form ofthe vessel to be made can be varied at will.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. Thecombination of a form or mold, and a shaping-tool mounted to revolvebodily around an eccentric axis that is not exterior to the mold, andheld at an incline so that its ends are intersected by difierent planesradial to said axis, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a form or mold, and a shaping tool mounted torevolve bodily around an eccentric axis that is not exterior to themold, and so held that a line passing ICC through it from end to end isinclined relative to said axis, substantially as an d for the purposedescribed.

3. The combination of a form or mold, and a shaping-tool mounted torevolve bodily around an eccentric axis that is not exterior to the moldand so held that a line passing through it from end to end is inclinedrelative to said axis with its ends located so they are intersected bydiiferent planes radial to such axis, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

4. The combination of a form or mold, a shaping-tool, and an eccentricaxis for said tool around which it travels during a forming operation,said tool being supported so that a line passing from end to end of itstands at an incline relative to such axis with one end in advance ofthe other as the tool revolves on such axis, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

5. The combination of a rotatable form or mold, a shaping-tool, a shaft,by which the tool is revolved during a forming operation, andconnections between the tool and shaft, which eccentrically support thelatter from the former at an incline which places one end of the roll inadvance of the other as the tool is revolved by said shaft, substautially as and for the purpose described.

6'. The combination of a rotatable form or mold, a rotary shaping-roll,a shaft journaling the same, a second shaft, by which the roll isrevolved during a forming operation, and a crank or eccentric connectionbetween the two shafts, the roll-journaling shaft being held at anincline which places one end of the roll in advance of the other end, asthe roll is carried by said second shaft, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

7. The combination of a form or mold, an inclined shaping-tool, a shaftfrom which the latter is eccentrically supported, by means of which saidtool is caused to travel in a curved path, and an adjustable support forsaid shaft, whereby the inclination of the tool may be varied,substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination of a form or mold comprising a bottom and sides, ashaping-roll, a shaft eccentric to the mold, but within the area of thewalls thereof, and a roll-supporting part connected to said shaft, fromwhich the roll extends at an incline to the shaftaxis, with its inner orlower end free, and in advance of the other end, as the roll is revolvedby the shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination of a form or mold, a

tool for causing the material to conform to the mold, an arm carryingsaid tool, a-wheel or roller for forming the edge of the vessel to bemade, and a support for said wheel, pivoted to said arm on an axisparallel with the mold-axis, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

1-0. The combination of a form or mold, a tool for causing the materialto take the form of the mold, a wheel or roller to form the edge of thevessel to be made, and a trimming-tool in position to act on the latterat a point where the roller and mold cooperate, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

11. The combination of a mold or form, a shaping-tool, an arm carryingthe latter, a support on which the arm is mounted for movement in linewith the mold, and for rotary movement, an arm on said support, and astop-bar having portions that engage the side, and overhang the saidsecond-named arm to hold it from movement, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

12. The combination of a form or mold shaped to form projections, havingfor each projection-forming part a hinged block or piece, substantiallyas and for the purpose shown.

13. The combination of the form or mold,

a shaping-tool, a pivoted plate holding the latter, a support for saidplate, and a bolt having an eccentric portion, connecting the plate tothe support, substantially as and for the purpose described.

H. The combination of the form or mold, a tool to cooperate therewith,an arm or support, a bar for said tool, a clamp engaging the bar, and ascrew that holds both clamp and bar, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

15. The combination of a mold or form, a shaping-tool, an arm carryingthe latter, a support on which the arm is mounted for movement in linewith the mold and for rotary movement, an arm on said support and twoparallel stop-bars, one of which is longer than the other to engage saidsecond-named arm, and the shorterone'havingalug or shoulder to overhangthe arm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 3d day of June, 1898.

FREDERICK H. XVEEKS. CHARLES D. XVEEKS. Witnesses:

JNo. E. SIEBER, O. D. WooDY.

